Rectifier-panel.



No. 896,980. PATENTED AUG. 25, 1908. S. FERGUSON.

RECTIFIER PANEL.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 18, 1905. RENEWED FEB. 26, 1908.

)V/TAASS/SS: M/VE/VTOH: SQmUe/Ferg so UNITED srArns PATENT onrron. SAMUEL rnneuson," or scnnnno'ranv, N'nw ronnlissienon T GENERAL ELECTRIC eonrinnnoonrona rron or raw YORK. J

1 Specification of Letters Patent- Application filed September 18, NOE-Serial No. 218,862. Renewed February'26 1908. Serial No.'417,860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known t at l, SAMUEL FERGUSON, a citizen of the nited States, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rectifier- Panels, of which the followingis a specification.

The invention hereinafter set forth relates to rectifier apparatus for changing alternating current into direct current, and more particularly to that type of rectifier in which the operation is performed by means of a rectifying arc in a vacuum.

The invention comprises more especially means for mounting a rectifier with its 00- operating switches, measuring instruments, etc. The invention is, moreover, intended to provide especially for the mounting of rectifiers for high voltage alternating current, as for example those rectifiers used for rectifying. the current supplied from a high voltage constant current system..- Owing to the dangerous character of the voltages employed in such systems, which voltages vary anywhere from 10,000 volts to 30,000 volts or more, it is necessary that those parts of the apparatus which are submitted to these high potentials should be well rotected so as to minimize as far as possib e the danger incurred by the operator in handling the apparatus.

To this end, my invention embodies certain arrangements of ap aratus and details of construction the nove features of which are pointed out with particularity in the appen ed claims. w

The invention. itself, however, will be better understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanyingfdrawings, in which:-

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodyin my invention; and Fig. 2 a sideelevation o the same.

Roughly speaking, the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 comprises, first a switchboard panel,

and, mounted flush with this panel, a cage or inclosure for the rectifier proper. Fig. 1, the switchboard is indicated at 1 and may consist of a slab of marble, slate, or the like. This panel carries plug switches 3, 4, 5 and 6 for controlling the high voltage circuits of therectifier, and a small low-voltage two-pole switch 7 for controlling starting circuits of the rectifier. The particular ar- Thus, in

form no portion ofthe present invention and, therefore, it is unnecessary to point out the circuit connections, as these are now well understood by those familiar with the art. Current-measuring instruments, such as 8,

may also be mounted on the panel.

The panel itself is supported from clamps such as 9 and 10 fastened to upright standards 11 and 12, the lower ends of which rest upon the floor or other foundation. To preserve the standards and parts carried thereby in an upright position, braces such as 13 and 14 are fastened at their lower ends to the flooring and at their upper ends are pivoted to the corresponding standards, as for example at 15.

The rectifier support proper consists of a supplementary panel or slab 16 of marble or the like carried by uprights such as 17, fastimed to brackets 18, having supporting braces such as 19.

Upon the mud 16, the rectifier itself is mounted. T is rectifier is indicated at 20 and may, of course, be of any suitable construction. Inasmuch as the particular construction of the rectifier tube forms no portion of the present invention no special descri tion'of the same is necessary. The tube itsef is mounted upon a carrier 21, pivoted at 22, and having arms 23 and 24, which embrace parts of the rectifier and hold the same in position. The rectifier is started by tilting it about its pivot 22 so as to cause the mercury of one or other of the two outside electrodes 25 of the rectifier to make momentary contact with the mercury of the middle electrode 26. These outside electrodes 25 are in the starting circuit of the rectifier and it is this circuit which is controlled by the switch 7 on the switch panel.

It is, of course, ossible to start the rectifier by manually ti ting the same by means of a handle such as 27. Owing, however, to the dangerously high voltages employed with the apparatus, this is not ordinarily a safe operation to perform and, therefore, I connect the ivoted rectifier by a system of articulate( connections to an o crating handle 28 on the switch panel 1. T us, the link 29, preferably of wood or other insulating material, is pivoted at one end to a rod 30, rigidly fastened to the rectifier-carrying frame 21 and at its other end to the bellcrank 31. Another wooden link 32 joins the resented 411 25, ieos.

. rangements of connections-of the rectifier V bell-crank 31 to a second bell-crank indi cated in dotted lines at 33, to which latter bell-crank a longitudinally movable rod with operating handle 28 is fixed. B pulling on this handle, the rectifier is causer to tilt so as to cause the desired flow or agitation of mercury between the electrodes in the lower portion thereof and thereby to start up the rect1- her in a manner well understood in the art and not necessary here to describe.

The rectifier proper, by means of the apparatus described,.be1ng free from the necessity of manual contact therewith, is inclosed in a wire cage 34, fixed at its rear end to the panel 16 and closed at its front end by a removable screen wire cover 35 flush with the panel 1. 1n order the better to exhibit the rectifier the cage is shown partly broken away in the drawings. This wire cage prevents mechanical injury to the apparatus and forms at the same time a safe-guard against the dangerously high potentials present in the apparatus during operation.

With the )articular type of rectifier shown, it is desirable in order to prevent arcing between the anodes that the region of the rectifier tube immediately about the mercury electrode should be subjected to some cooling means such as a blast of air, while the anodes themselves should be allowed to run hot. An opening, 36, is, therefore, formed in the panel 16 immediatelyin the rear of that portion of the rectifier to be cooled, and into this opening fits a ipe 37 through which a blast of air from a blower or fan is directed. This construction protects the anodes from the cooling blast while it allows the region about the cathode tobe cooled.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is,

1. The combination of a panel board carrying switches and the like, standards for supporting said board, a second panelboard, brackets connected to said standards for supporting said second panel board in a position above and behind the first panel board, and a vapor electric device carried by said second panel board.

2.- The combination of a panel board carrying switches and the like, standardsforsu porting, said board, a second panel board, llrackets connected to said standard for sup porting said second panel board in a. position above and behind the first anel board, a vapor electric device carried )y said second panel board, and a protecting cage inclosing said vapor electric device and having its front surface practically flush with the first mentioned panel board.

3. The combination of a panel board earrying switches and the like, standards for supporting said board, a second )anel board, brackets connected to said standard for supporting said second panel board in a position above and behind the first anel board, a vapor electric device carried by said second panel board, and a rotecting cage inclosing said vapor electric evice.

4. The combination of a panel board, supporting means therefor, a vapor electric device carried by said panel board, an opening in said panel board opposite a portion of said device, and an air blast tube communicating with said opening.

5. The combination of a panel board carrying switches and the like, standards supportlng said panel board, brackets extending from said standards, a second panel board carried by said brackets, a panel board in a plane behind the first mentioned panel boarr but out of registry therewith, a vapor electric device carried by the last mentioned panel board, a protecting cage for said vapor electric device, and a removable cover for said cage.

6. The combination of a panel board carrying switches and the like, a second panel board, a va or electric device ivotally mounted on the second panel boar an operating handle on the first panel board, and a system. of mechanical connections between said operating handle and said vapor electric device for tilting the latter about its pivot.

7. The combination of a'vapor electric device, a pivoted sup )ort therefor, a protecting inclosure for said device, an accessible operating handle located outside of said protecting inclosurc, and articulated connections between said. vapor electric device and said operating handle whereby motion transmitted from said. handle serves to rock or tilt said va )or electric device on its support.

8. Tl H. combination of a vapor electric device, a pivoted support therefor, a protecting inclosure for said. ating handle located outside of said protecting inclosurc, and articulated connections, one at least of which is of good insulating material, between said vapor electric device and is insulated from said device and whereby motion transmitted from said handle serves to rock or tilt said va or electric device.

In witness whereo', I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of September,

SAMUEL FERGUSON. Witnesses:

G. O. IIoLLIsTEa, HELEN Omronn.

evicc, an accessible opersaid operating handle, whereby'said handle 

